Dust and Duty

[Intro] (Steel guitar fades in, steady drum b**t) [Verse 1] Got the call at midnight, voice all choked with fright Said they took her from the market, vanished into the night That old familiar anger, colder than the rain Started dialing numbers, whispering her name First was Tommy Jenkins, lost a leg near Fallujah's sand Then Big Jim McCullough, understands a fightin' man Bobby Lee came runnin', engine barely cooled Three old soldiers gatherin', by a world that's ruled By a different kind of duty now, but the bond it still holds true When one man's heart is breakin', tell me, what else can we do? [Chorus] We're rollin' down a backroad, headlights cuttin' thin Three ghosts from another w*r, headin' out again Got a map marked desperate, a prayer upon our lips Trackin' through the darkness in my b**t-up pickup truck For the love of a good woman, worth any price to pay We're bringin' my darlin' home, or dyin' here today Dust and duty callin', ain't no turnin' back Bringin' my Mary home on this forgotten track [Verse 2] Tommy found the tire marks, veered off near the creek Jimmy read the signposts, silence made him speak "North," he said, "old farmhouse, smelled the oil and fear" Memories of recon nights came rushin' crystal clear Moonlight on the gravel, crunchin' soft and low Movin' like we used to, twenty years ago Past the rusted tractor, past the saggin' barn Every shadow holdin' danger, every nerve strung tight and warn [Chorus] We're rollin' down a backroad, headlights cuttin' thin Three ghosts from another w*r, headin' out again Got a map marked desperate, a prayer upon our lips Trackin' through the darkness in my b**t-up pickup truck For the love of a good woman, worth any price to pay We're bringin' my darlin' home, or dyin' here today Dust and duty callin', ain't no turnin' back Bringin' my Mary home on this forgotten track [Verse 3] Saw her through the window, tied up but alive Two men drinkin' whiskey, thinkin' they'd survive Jimmy took the back door, silent as the grave Bobby covered Tommy, limpin' slow and brave I kicked in that front entrance, shotgun leveled low Saw the fear in Mary's eyes, a decade's worth of woe "Let her go," I whispered, voice like shattered glass One look at the brothers standin', knew they couldn't last [Bridge] They dropped their guns like hot coals, ran into the night Untied her trembling fingers, held her trembling tight She whispered, "I knew you'd come," tears upon her cheek Three old warriors nodded, too choked up to speak Just a silent understanding, forged in fire and sand Brothers 'til the end, helpin' home a stolen lamb [Chorus] Rollin' down a backroad, headlights pointin' south Three ghosts from another w*r, carryin' my love out Got the map marked "Homeward," sunrise startin' bright Leavin' all the darkness for the comfortin' light For the love of a good woman, safe now by my side We faced the night together, stood against the tide Dust and duty answered, Mary's comin' home Back down this blessed highway, never more to roam [Outro] (Steel guitar swells, fiddle joins softly, gentle drum b**t fades)